


What Lies Beneath

by darklioness82



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, P.R.O.B.E.
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-03-25 18:52:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13840884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darklioness82/pseuds/darklioness82
Summary: A series of stories based on the Doctor Who spinoff series P.R.O.B.E. Follows Liz's relationship with her friend and boss Patricia Haggard and picks up on the subtext/hinted at closeness between the two women. Femslash in later chapters.





	1. The Devil of Winterbourne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patsy provides friendship and a shoulder to cry on for a mourning Liz. Set during the second PROBE story: The Devil of Winterbourne (1995). Pre-slash. Includes some dialogue and scenes shown in the episode for context.

****Patricia Haggard was practically Amazonian; tall, broad-shouldered and strong. She had a mane of curly red hair with a streak of grey-blonde at the front and often dressed in floaty pinstripe trouser suits accented with a silk scarf. It added to her distinctive presence in Whitehall as Liaison for the much derided Preternatural Research Bureau, more widely known as PROBE. A former police officer, Patsy’s role was to justify the bureau’s existence alongside the force whilst it took the lead and carried out investigations into unexplained phenomena.

 

Doctor Elizabeth Shaw looked far more delicate in stature than she actually was and she vehemently defended her work and her principles to anyone who threatened them. She was a physicist who, unconventionally for a woman, smoked a pipe and enjoyed a regular tipple (or three!) Although running for her life on an increasingly regular basis had kept her trim and physically fit, it was certainly a world away from when she was a professor at Cambridge University. However, even though there were some down right rotten and gruelling days with PROBE, Liz wouldn’t want her life any other way now.

 

On paper it seemed like the two career women were chalk and cheese, the scientist and the Whitehall bureaucrat, but having been thrown together with little in the way of resources or support, they’d made an excellent team over the last few years. An even better friendship had also sprung up from it and for that Liz was especially grateful. She hadn’t had that sort of friendship for a long time and some days it was the only thing that kept her going.

 

***

 

Whitehall was a strange place to work; old, hallowed hallways, ornate staircases and expensive antique furniture sat so close to the natural beauty of St James’s Park. Aside from the tourists in the summer season and during fair-weather days, it could often be a nice tranquil lunch spot, when Patsy got the rare chance to actually indulge in a lunch break that was. Today wasn’t one of those days, so wolfing down some food at her desk had been the best option she’d had. And then of course the phone had rung and disturbed her train of thought. She picked up the receiver and answered with her standard professional greeting.

 

“Patricia Haggard, Home Office.” Technically the department that took responsibility for her and her team as supernatural phenomena was considered more of an inland security issue. Although they still had many connections with the MOD and UNIT.

 

“Hi Patsy, it's Liz.” Patsy immediately put down her egg salad lunch as well as the file she had been leafing through and gave her friend every last ounce of her attention. They hadn’t spoken in weeks; Liz had gone off-radar during her compassionate leave, completely consumed by everything she had needed to do as a consequence of her father's death.

 

“Liz darling! How are you bearing up?”

 

“Alright now, I think. I err… just wanted you to know that I’d like to return to work on Monday.” As much as the two women were friends, Patsy still had a high-level stake in PROBE’s success, which in turn meant the people, or more accurately the _person_ , who worked to deliver the results. Which reminded Patsy that she was going to have to have an uncomfortable conversation with Liz on her return about Lou Bayliss.

 

“Of course! If you think you’re ready? You can have more time if you need it.” Liz’s voice hadn’t sounded too confident and Patsy would fight tooth and nail for it if Rutherford saw fit to refuse further compassionate leave with pay. No one worked for the Bureau for the money and benefits, that much was certain, so as the new Minister responsible for overseeing PROBE, that was the least he could do for Liz.

 

“No, no I want to get back to some sort of normality, have a routine again. I’ve been going stir-crazy to tell you the truth.” Patsy chuckled lightly and and felt reassured, that had sounded just like the old Liz.

 

“Well I won’t deny that I’ll be glad to have you back. I’ve umm… missed you.” What Patsy wouldn’t have given to be able to see Liz right at that moment, just to satisfy herself that her friend really was okay.

 

“Someone needs to keep you sane and out of trouble I suppose.” Liz sparred back and the two women fell about laughing.

 

“Uh huh? I think you’ll find it’s usually you getting into trouble and me having to come and rescue you.” Patsy waggled her eyebrows into the phone and Liz could practically hear it in her voice. Although, she didn't deny the truth of the statement.

 

“And who plies me with alcohol afterwards? Speaking of which, thank you for the card. I’m sorry I haven’t had the time to properly get in touch. Let’s have that dinner soon eh? But you’re bringing the wine. You drink most of it anyway...” Liz suddenly realised that it had been a while since they’d sat down and really talked and that she’d been working through her father’s death more or less alone.

 

“Oi, the cheek! But you’ve got yourself a deal.” There was a knock at Patsy’s office door and Rutherford himself appeared looking bothered and impatient. Patsy looked up and nodded at him. “Look, sorry Liz, I’ve got to go. See you Monday?” Rutherford shot a questioning look at Patsy and she tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace. Patsy had only known him five minutes, quite literally, but she already had a feeling he wasn’t going to be easy to win round and support PROBE’s work or existence.

 

“Of course, bye Pats.” There had been no need for Patsy to explain, Liz knew that her job was pressured and a lot more went on behind the scenes than she either knew or understood. Patsy didn’t always tell her what was going on, _couldn’t_ or _wouldn’t_ Liz didn’t always know, but she trusted the younger woman with her life so that counted for a lot in her book.

 

“Bye Darling.” Patsy didn’t get the chance to finish off her lunch before she was whisked away to attend a series of meetings which had almost sent her to sleep. A large glass of wine at home later more than made up for it though.

 

***

 

Liz’s first day back at work had hardly been the slow, easy transition she might have hoped for; she’d ended up headfirst in a new PROBE case and bickered with Patsy over the usual bureaucratic red tape. Predictable really but it had all got too much for Liz by late afternoon, so she’d escaped to her father’s graveside to collect her thoughts. This time Patsy hadn’t been able to ignore her instinct and had followed her friend out of concern.

 

Liz removed the old, stale flowers from the graveside vase and replaced them with a fresh bunch, arranging them neatly as she did so. A shadow loomed over her but Liz initially failed to notice it.

 

“Liz...?” Patsy addressed her friend quietly, so as not to startle her as she had seemed so engrossed in her task. The older woman looked up slowly, surprised at having been discovered.  

“How did you find me?” Liz didn’t sound angry or surprised, just resigned to the fact she’d been found at all. She grasped the old bunch of flowers tighter, a little nervous facing Patsy after their earlier disagreement.

 

“I used to work in surveillance, remember?” Patsy smiled weakly as she knew her attempt at humour had already fallen a bit flat.

 

“I’ll just, uh finish up here.” Patsy nodded and watched as Liz tidied up her efforts, threw the spent flowers into one of the bins and slipped on her overcoat. The older woman inclined her head for Patsy to follow as she made her way back to the car park. They walked side by side and spoke quietly between them.

 

“I know we’ve not really had the chance to speak… I’m really sorry about your dad.” It was a weak and feeble way to express what she had really wanted to say.

 

“Yes.” Liz was short and sharp with her friend and Patsy felt a lump in her throat, this wasn’t how she’d planned this conversation.

 

“Liz, this morning I….”

 

“Forget it. It’s not important.” Liz had cut her off and Patsy stopped walking. She put a hand to Liz’s shoulder blade in attempt to soothe her, calm her down.

 

“I’m trying to apologise Liz. I know how important this is for PROBE… _and_ for you.” It was important to her too but Patsy always felt caught between the system and what was happening on the ground.

 

“But why move Lou Bayliss?” _Two people doing the work of twenty_ was how Liz had described their situation several weeks ago; now she was a lone ranger and her life was going to get seriously more difficult.

 

“The powers that be Liz!” Patsy didn’t have as much sway as she would have liked, _needed_ even, but she at least she still had a little bit of clout.

 

“I thought _you_ were the powers that be?” If only it had been that simple, Patsy thought.

 

“Huh! I sometimes wonder what I am nowadays.” They continued on their way and talked at the same time. “In the beginning it was so simple, everything was black and white.. I don’t know, people were prepared to give a little…” It had seemed that funding had been thrown every which way back in the day, now the budget cuts were coming thick and fast and organisations like PROBE were bearing the brunt of it.

 

“There just isn’t the imagination anymore Patsy, let’s face it.”

 

“We were just beginning to win Stevenson round and now we’re stuck with this stuffed shirt… whatshisface…. Rutherford?” Liz chuckled up into the air. “It’s one step forwards and two steps back, all the bloody time!” Liz finally realised that Patsy had been just as frustrated by the system as she, that she did the very best she could even though her hands were tied.

 

“Is it just me or are we both turning into a couple of miserable old sods?” They both chuckled and Patsy reached out to put her arm around Liz’s shoulders. The older woman leaned in and they ended up back at their respective cars wrapped around each other. “Dinner at my place? We can have a proper catch up then.” Liz offered and Patsy smiled gratefully.

 

“I’d like that, very much.” Hopefully at some point they could leave the working day behind them and get around to talking properly about Reuben’s death.

 

“You know… I’m convinced that you moved Lou just so you can have her all to yourself.” Liz teased Patsy and winked at her. The younger woman’s mouth widened and eyebrows raised incredulously.

 

“I wish!” Patsy muttered under her breath but loud enough for Liz to hear. Although, to be fair, even though she was smart and rather pretty, Lou really wasn’t Patsy’s type. No, if Patsy were truly being honest with herself, her type was someone even closer to home. She shook herself free from her thoughts and temporarily parted ways with Liz.

 

They'd never had a deep and meaningful conversation about it but the fact that Patsy was a lesbian had been acknowledged in many other ways over the years. She kept her personal life very private and was guarded about who she didn't deny her preferences to. It was a boys club in Whitehall which meant being a woman in her job was difficult enough as it was. There were rumours of course and she had no doubt there were sniggers and jibes behind her back. But for as long as she refused to confirm anything about herself, they couldn't use it against her.

 

Away from work it was a different story, in her circle of friends she was open and honest and that circle had included Liz ever since she'd known her. Theirs had been a natural and easy friendship from that very first day and it had only grown deeper with time.

 

***

 

After they had finished their takeaway and consumed several glasses of wine, the carriage clock had suddenly alerted them that it was one in the morning. Liz had offered Patsy the spare room for the night but when she had come to give her a spare towel she had been struck by the fact that it had been the room her father used to sleep in when he stayed over and then she’d fallen completely apart.

 

Patsy gathered her friend into her arms and held her close, unwilling to let her go any time soon. She felt Liz bury her face in her neck; her damp cheeks and hot shaky breath on Patsy’s skin reinforced just how much she must have bottled up her grief all these weeks.

 

“Come on, let’s get you to bed. We’re both tired, drunk and emotional.” There wasn’t the slightest hint of protest from Liz and that’s when Patsy knew she couldn’t leave her alone for the next few hours. She carefully guided her friend back down the hallway to her own room and closed the door behind them. Patsy took the redundant towels from Liz’s arms and replaced them with the pyjama’s she’d seen at the foot of the bed. “I’ll err… give you a moment.” When Liz failed to respond or move, Patsy grew concerned. “Liz…?” the older woman turned to her then, eyes bright with unshed tears.

 

“Can you give me a hand?” She asked with a slight hint of embarrassment but her limbs felt like lead and Patsy was her closest friend after all.

 

“Of course Darling, if you're sure?” To what she is referring was implicit but both understood without the need for it to be explained. She took the pyjamas from Liz’s hands and put them back on the bed before turning back to the woman in question. Patsy unclasped Liz’s long necklace and then set it down on the bedside table.

 

“Jumper off…” She warned as she tucked the gathered the hem of the light pink garment in her hands and drew it up Liz’s torso. The other woman automatically lifted her arms so Patsy could pull the jumper up and over them. It was fairly loose-fitting, so luckily hadn't caught on the way up. Liz looked very small and fragile stood in her jeans and bra, and for the first time Patsy wondered what on earth she was doing working for PROBE. Liz was as tough underneath her small frame as Patsy looked. But it could also have been said that underneath her bravado, Patsy was as soft and vulnerable as Liz appeared to be right now.  

 

Patsy quickly helped Liz with her pyjama top but, for practical purposes, she was going to have to sort out her own jeans and bottoms. With a bit of prodding they got there and Liz simply collapsed into bed after the effort. Curled up on her left side with her back to her, it gave Patsy the opportunity to strip down to her camisole and underwear; she'd not been expecting to stay so didn't have anything to change into. She turned off the light and carefully shuffled herself into bed. She then pulled the covers up and around them both before curling her body protectively around Liz's. Liz reached behind her for Patsy’s arm and hooked it over her hip and around her waist, their fingers entwined and settled on the mattress.

 

It hadn’t taken long for Liz to fall asleep, Patsy listened for the slow, steady breathing and felt her body relax against her. She wasn’t far behind a sleepy state herself but a determination to see Liz settled first and a slight worry about how they were going to navigate this situation in the morning kept her awake a little while longer.    

 

***

 

Patsy roused, conscious of little puffs of warm breath on her face. She slowly opened her eyes to find Liz’s staring kindly back at her.

 

“Hi.” Patsy greeted her with sleep in her voice which was underlined warmth and affection as she smiled broadly.  

 

“Hello,” Liz said back. They laid nose to nose with Liz’s left leg sandwiched between Patsy’s longer ones, their bodies having twisted and entwined in their sleep. “Thank you for taking care of me, I’m sorry I….” Patsy put a finger to Liz’s lips and shook her head.

 

“Nothing to be sorry for. I’m glad I was here for you last night.” There was a second of silence before Liz craned her neck and delivered a solid, lingering kiss to Patsy’s lips. Patsy reacted just as it ended, having been caught very much off-guard. Liz blushed, mildly embarrassed by her presumption, and looked away before moving and extracting herself from the bed. It had been the proverbial bucket of cold water she had needed to break the moment.

 

“I’ll put some coffee on. Feel free to use the shower if you want to and come down when you’re ready.” And with that, the older woman grabbed her dressing gown off the back of the door, slipped it on and headed out of the room. Patsy sank her head back into the pillows and let out a frustrated sigh. She didn’t quite understand what had just happened between them but she had a feeling that they’d just missed an opportunity to explore it further. Her heart ached with a tinge of regret but knew that she didn’t have time to dwell on it just now. First and foremost they were friends and while Liz was still grieving, it would be unfair of her to think anything more of it at this time.

 

Unbeknownst to Patsy, Liz had been having similar thoughts as she had prepared some fresh coffee and breakfast for them both. She was self-aware enough to realise that there was some sort of spark between them, had been for some time, but any romantic notion felt a bit cliche right at that moment. Liz decided that she was just overwrought and if there was meant to be anything deeper to her relationship with Patsy, it would happen _when_ and _if_ the time was right.


	2. Unnatural Selection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As yet undefined and unspoken, something has changed between Liz and Patsy since their ‘moment’ during the Winterbourne case. Set at the end of the third episode: Unnatural Selection. Includes some dialogue and a scene shown in the episode for context.

“Miss Haggard? It’s Constable Philpotts here, I believe you’re responsible for the Preternatural Research Bureau?” The soft male voice on the end of the telephone sounded too stiff and formal to be bearing good news.

 

“Yes I am, has something happened?” Patsy held her concern in check until she knew what she was dealing with. 

 

“It’s about Mr Rutherford and Miss Shaw.” Patsy’s heart leapt in her mouth then and a small tremor began in her normally sturdy legs. “They’ve been involved in an incident, I’m afraid Mr Rutherford is rather shaken up. He’s been taken to hospital for assessment.” Whilst she hoped that the Minister wasn’t too badly hurt, she wasn’t particularly interested in his well being right at the moment. 

 

“And what about Liz? I mean Miss Shaw?” There was a kerfuffle on the other end of the line before it became clear once again. 

 

“Patsy? It’s me, I’m alright.” Liz sounded rushed but okay, Patsy just hoped it wasn't false bravado so she didn't worry her any further. 

 

“Oh, thank god! I thought….” It was obvious what Patsy had thought given the tone of the phone call. 

 

“I know, listen the Colonel and I probably going to be hours here giving our statements. Go to my place, let yourself in and I’ll come home as soon as I can. We can talk properly then.” Liz knew that she had a fair bit of explaining to do from both a professional and friendship point of view. 

 

“Liz…?” Patsy wondered if there was something the older woman wasn’t telling her, that she really had been hurt and just didn’t want her to know about it yet. 

 

“Honestly Patsy I’m fine, I promise you. Help yourself to whatever food you can find, have a glass of wine and make yourself comfortable. You know where everything is.” Liz sounded quite insistent and who was Patsy to argue with her? 

 

“Alright. I’ll see you later.” But first, Patsy had a few things of her own to do. 

 

***

 

Rutherford was discharged sooner than expected and he went straight back to his office to write his resignation. He’d found Patsy already there, sat in silence just thinking about all the terrible things that could have possibly happened to Liz at the hands of the Beagle creature. She had laid all the blame at Rutherford’s feet, if it hadn’t been for him trying to cover up his own involvement in the original Beagle experiment then Liz wouldn’t have been put in such danger in the first place. He did his best to allay her fears and explain what had happened, that Liz and Colonel Ackroyd had defended themselves well and had come away without injury, but he knew she wouldn’t be content until she’d seen her friend for herself. Rutherford wasn’t stupid, he knew that there was a close friendship between the two women and that Patsy was treading a very thin line of professionalism. She stayed to witness him signing the resignation and then left to honour Liz’s instructions. 

 

Patsy had held a spare key to Liz’s place for some time but hadn't often used it. It had originally been intended for emergencies but occasionally had been used out of convenience if they were meeting from two separate starting points and Patsy was the first to arrive. It felt both strange to be here without Liz but familiar and comfortable at the same time.

 

Until very recently Patsy had probably spent more time at Liz’s house than her own. But ever since the Winterbourne case and the kiss they had shared, something had changed between them and their warm and easy relationship had become ever so slightly strained. It wasn’t obvious to anyone else, just that they had bickered and sniped at each other more frequently, particularly on this case. And just as she thought about it, she realised that they’d not really seen each other outside of work and professional interactions over the last few weeks. That made Patsy suddenly feel rather sad and she vowed to change that, especially after today’s incident. 

 

Patsy wasn’t sure she could eat much but was admittedly slightly peckish. She’d only stopped off at her own place to shower and change into something more casual before heading to Liz’s. And if she had thrown some spare clothes and her nightclothes into a rucksack to bring back with her, she had only been thinking practically. She found her way around the kitchen easy enough and managed a couple of slices of hot buttered toast and a cup of tea. She would put her life on Liz reaching for something alcoholic as soon as she got home so knew there would be plenty of drinking time left of this evening. 

 

After washing up after her food Patsy went upstairs to dump her rucksack in the guest room. She turned the light on and was rather surprised to find it had been changed around. No longer was there a bed pushed against the wall but a desk, lamp and Personal Computer set on top of it. Papers were scattered across the desk in various stages of being marked and highlighted for later easy reference. Patsy sighed deeply, slightly disappointed by the fact it looked like Liz hadn’t ever expected her to stay over again. But then she realised that perhaps Liz had needed to do it in order to begin healing from her father’s recent death and that made her smile a little. Patsy was glad Liz was trying to move on, grief never really went away but it would lessen with time and making positive changes like turning the guest room he used to stay in into an office was one such example of that. Patsy grabbed her rucksack and turned off the light on her way back out of the guest room. She took it back downstairs, at least now knowing that she had to keep a clear head as she’d be going back to her own house tonight, even if it was at some ridiculous time in the morning. 

 

***

 

Colonel Ackroyd pulled up outside Liz’s house and when she noticed that the lights were on she smiled to herself. She was glad that Patsy had taken her up on the invitation, she knew they needed each other in the wake of this incident and that they couldn’t let it fester. They’d been avoiding each other enough over the past couple of weeks as it was, whether it was conscious or not, Liz hadn’t quite analysed her own feelings about that yet. 

 

“Nightcap Colonel?” Liz offered. She felt that he was rather a nice young chap, much more friendly than DI Burke who she’d had the  _ pleasure _ of working alongside on the Winterbourne case. 

 

“I shouldn’t….” the Colonel had looked at his watch and noted the lateness of the hour. 

 

“Please, you saved my life, it’s the least I can do.” Liz had been determined to go after the creature and rescue Rutherford by herself but once ‘Alfred’ had turned on her in his grief and frustration, she’d been grateful for the Colonel’s unexpected back up. 

 

“I think we saved each other’s lives but go on then, you’ve twisted my arm. I can’t stay long though, I’m in enough trouble with the Missus as it is.” Liz chuckled out loud at that. If Patsy’s face had flashed before her eyes for a moment after he’d said it, Liz wasn’t going to think on it any further. Liz knew that Patsy was home, just couldn’t quite pinpoint her location as she showed the Colonel into the lounge. Liz opened up her drinks cabinet, took out two glasses and poured a generous measure of sherry for the both of them. She sat back in her usual spot on the sofa, the Colonel close next to her. Patsy walked through the door just as they had been getting comfortable. She smelled of smoke so Liz deduced that she’d been out in the garden having a crafty cigarette. She’d supposedly given up but Liz knew that stress often gave way to the odd one or two every now and then. 

 

“Pats!” The younger woman stood just in front of Liz with her hands on her hips looking every inch the angry friend and boss that she was. 

 

“What the hell did you think you were doing?” Patsy sounded just as angry as she looked. 

 

“My job!” Liz knew she was being flippant but part of her wanted to make the point that it  _ was _ her job to throw herself into these cases, dangerous ones that often meant her life was threatened. Patsy should be well used to that by now.  

 

“Emmerson might have killed you, both of you!” Patsy noted the Colonel’s presence next to Liz and plonked herself down on the chair adjacent to the sofa. She angled herself slightly with her back to the duo but still so she could make eye contact with them every so often, almost like she was giving them the physical cold shoulder.  

 

“There wasn’t time to tell you!” Liz reasoned although she knew she'd have been similarly upset had it been the other way around and Patsy went running off to fight goodness knows what by herself. 

 

“We had to save Rutherford.” Ackroyd explained as he was well used to putting his life on the line in the name of duty so it was all in day’s work for him. 

 

“Anyway, what’s happened to him?” Liz knew that Patsy had been to see him after their ordeal and had hopes on the outcome being favourable to PROBE. 

 

“He’s gone.” Patsy confirmed Liz’s suspicions with a smirk in both her voice and on her face. 

 

“For good?” Colonel Ackroyd hadn’t known Rutherford well but he understood enough to know that this was possibly very good news indeed. 

 

“Mmm hmm.” Liz chuckled and toasted their unexpected success with the Colonel.

 

“Count your blessings.” Liz congratulated her and Patsy chuckled briefly too. It didn’t change how she felt about the whole episode but it did make it a little easier to accept. Liz topped up hers and Colonel’s drinks and offered Patsy a glass but it was declined. 

 

The younger woman sat back on her chair, her chest felt heavy as all the frustration and worry of the evening weighed down on her. That Liz was alive and well and sitting right in front of her should have been the only thing that mattered. But a different outcome hadn’t been a million miles away and Patsy didn’t doubt there would be many more occasions where it would come this close again. Liz seemed entirely too casual about it all and that infuriated Patsy more than anything, but she wouldn’t say anything with the Colonel still there. In fact, she didn’t say anything else at all and practically sulked in her seat, occasionally glaring at the Colonel for the audacity to be present in the room. She’d wanted Liz all to herself, they had personal things to discuss but most of all she really just wanted a hug. 

 

Eventually the Colonel decided that he needed to get back to his family and said his goodnights. Liz showed him out and waved him off. She finally took off her leather jacket and hung it up in the hallway before taking a deep breath and coming back into the living room. 

 

“Well, that was rude!” She didn't want to argue with Patsy but needed to get a few things out of the way first. 

 

“What? I can’t help it if I don’t have a thing for  _ Boy Wonder _ .” While Liz had been out of the room, Patsy had made herself comfortable on ‘her side’ of the sofa, as she usually would have done had the Colonel not been there.

 

“That was uncalled for and you know it.” Liz chastised her friend as she moved back to the sofa to join Patsy. The younger woman visibly deflated and allowed her frustration to dissipate. 

 

“I just wasn’t expecting him when you arrived.” Patsy admitted, still not entirely sure why it had irked her quite so much. 

 

“Jealous are we?” They looked right at each other with fire in their eyes and then and burst out into laughter. Liz reached out and took one of Patsy's hands in her own. “Look, it’s no good us getting upset with each other.” 

 

“I know, I’m sorry. I’ve just been worrying myself sick over everything that could have happened to you.” Patsy brought Liz's hand to her lips and placed a brief kiss to her knuckles.

 

“But it didn’t, I’m still here.” Liz brought their hands up to her chest and placed the palm of Patsy's hand over her heart. They looked into each other's eyes for the longest moment, just feeling Liz's heart beating through their joined hands. “Shall we open a bottle?” Liz whispered conspiritorily and gently squeezed the hand she was holding against her chest. 

 

“I've got to drive home.” Patsy reasoned and shook her head despite how tempting it was. 

 

“Stay, please?” Liz asked her pointedly and moved her hand to cup around Patsy's cheek instead. 

 

“Liz…” Patsy warned, already having an idea of where this conversation was heading but they seemed to be instinctively drawing ever closer to each other anyway.

 

“I don’t want to be alone tonight.” Patsy didn't blame her for that and if she was honest with herself she didn't much fancy letting the older woman out of her sight either. Liz moved her hand to run it up the back of Patsy’s exposed neck, her hair having been pinned up for a change. The evening had suddenly taken on an expectancy neither had anticipated.  

 

“You seem to only have one bedroom.” Patsy pointed out, just so they were clear even as she briefly closed her eyes to revel in the sensation of Liz’s fingers at the base of her neck.

 

“Ah, you noticed that?” Liz at least tried to look sheepish but Patsy raised her eyebrows at her in question. 

 

“Do you understand what you're asking?” Liz had been a little more up front than Patsy about her past relationships over the course of their acquaintance; men and women, she didn't especially label herself so it wasn't a question about her sleeping with a woman. Patsy leaned her forehead against Liz's. Their hot, quickened breaths mingled in the small space between them and the charged atmosphere stepped up a pace. 

 

“Yes… no…. maybe...? I just want to feel human; alive and warm and… present. If you know what I mean?” Patsy of course understood but she also knew there would be implications for their friendship if they crossed that line. 

 

“And after tonight?” Patsy had only just got her own head around how she felt about Liz, she wasn’t in a position to voice that to anyone else yet, the woman in question especially. There could be a huge difference between what she and Liz ultimately wanted from this new development. 

 

“Honestly? I don't know. Let's just see how it goes shall we?” They were so close to the cliff edge it was nearly impossible to back away from it now. “Patsy?” Liz asked the younger woman expectantly.  

 

“Mmm hmm?” Patsy had drifted off into her own thoughts, the heady atmosphere having slowed down her ability to think clearly. 

 

“Kiss me.” It took a few seconds for the command to filter through to Patsy’s brain and when it did she felt like the whole world had stopped turning for a few seconds. Slowly, tentatively she closed the (admittedly very small) gap still left between them, flicked her eyes up to Liz’s as she did so to make sure one last time and pressed her lips against her friend’s. As the first kiss gave way to a second more passionate and confident one, they pressed their bodies closer too, Patsy managed to wedge Liz up against the arm of the sofa on her side so she had something to brace against. 

 

Patsy’s right hand slipped underneath Liz’s white t-shirt and slid it up her stomach, over her ribs until she could cup it around her left breast. She ran her thumb across the nipple through her bra and felt the older woman shudder and moan beneath her. Patsy kissed Liz again, swallowing another moan as she pinched and rolled the nipple between her fingers until it stood proud underneath the lace. Liz attempted to take control and sat herself forward a little which dislodged Patsy somewhat. She made a grab for the younger woman’s pink overshirt and slipped it off her shoulders so that it fell down about her elbows. Patsy helped Liz to ease herself out of it so she was down to her black vest top. Liz stripped off her own shirt leaving her in her white t-shirt, although that hadn’t lasted long before Patsy pulled that up and over Liz’s head until it was off her completely. 

 

Things were a little more interesting now that Patsy could lavish some proper attention on Liz’s body. She pressed kisses to the fleshy tops of her breasts and left a hot, wet trail up to her neck and behind her ear. Liz instinctively pushed herself closer and captured Patsy’s lips in another searing kiss. Adrenaline pumped through her system and liquid heat pooled in her knickers. Really, the foreplay between them had begun a long time ago and this was just its natural conclusion. 

 

“Upstairs, now.” Liz growled out, a suggestion or a command Patsy wasn’t too sure but she was certainly not going to argue. Neither of them particularly fancied attempting to go the whole way and have sex on the sofa, so the earlier they relocated themselves somewhere more comfortable the better. Their journey to Liz’s bedroom was punctuated with kisses halfway up the stairs and fondles against walls as though they were teenagers discovering the joys of sex for the first time. Or more accurately middle-aged women who saw the wrong side of death and had near-death experiences themselves far too often.  

 

***

 

Liz awoke to an empty bed and desperately fought against her disappointment when she failed to hear any movement from elsewhere in the house. She was pleasantly sore in all the right places and tiny aftershocks rippled through her body by simply remembering what she and Patsy had got up to in the night. Patsy had taken a very early lead and had been determined to spoil Liz with all the attention, of course Liz enjoyed her moment and then turned the tables so Patsy was eventually rendered incoherent of thought or speech. Liz wasn’t able to stop herself as she eased a hand between her legs and finished off her rising orgasm properly before getting showered and dressed for the day. 

 

Needing a coffee fix before her breakfast, Liz went downstairs and spied a note on the kettle as she went to switch it on. ‘ _ Paged into work - No regrets! xxx _ ’ Liz grinned to herself and sighed in relief. Even though they had yet to define what exactly was going on between them, somehow she thought that they would be alright exploring this new element of their relationship. 


	3. Ghosts of Winterbourne (I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An extension of the scenes in Liz’s house, her father’s graveside and Whitehall just before she performs the ritual to resurrect Greatorex. Includes some on-screen dialogue and description for context.

Liz heard the front door being opened with a key and smiled to herself as she took off her reading specs and set them on the coffee table.

 

“Liz…? It’s me,” Patsy called out into the dimly lit hallway. Even though she was expected, she just wanted to give her friend some warning. 

 

“I’m in the lounge.” Liz responded and heard some rustling before Patsy’s face finally appeared at the door. 

 

“Hi.” Patsy greeted her friend and seemed to visibly relax as she crossed the threshold and spotted Liz sat on the sofa. She slipped off her pale lilac blazer and hooked it over the crook of her arm.  

 

“Hello,” Liz said as she stood from the sofa. “Do you want some tea or coff… oh…” Liz had just taken in what Patsy was wearing, the matching dress to the jacket on her arm was an unusual but stunning sight to behold. Her unruly hair had been pinned up and the outfit accessorised with a lavender coloured statement necklace and matching long, dangly earrings. Patsy couldn’t help but grin at Liz’s reaction and tried very hard not to smirk but failed. 

 

“Coffee..? Decaf please.” Liz bid a hasty retreat to her kitchen and Patsy did chuckle then, knowing full well the older woman had probably heard her. Patsy dumped her jacket off on a chair, unbuckled her heels and set them underneath the coffee table. She perched herself on the arm of the sofa, opposite to where Liz had been sitting when she’d come in. Patsy crossed her left leg over right and massaged her aching foot with her hands; it had been a novelty dressing up for a meal with her friends but as much as she had enjoyed doing so, on top of a full working day had been exhausting. Patsy heard the click of the boiled kettle and spoke loudly enough for Liz to hear her in the kitchen. “How was the rest of your day?”

 

“I went to the archive… but only to discover that someone has gone and stolen Greatorex’s book.” Patsy could hear the frustration in Liz’s voice, the very reason the book had been placed in the care of the archive in the first place was to ensure its security. 

 

“Who on earth would want to steal it?” Patsy continued to soothe her weary left foot, with hindsight she really should have brought more practical shoes to change into for the journey back to Liz’s place by train and then the twenty minute walk after that. It had been taken as a given that Patsy was going to stay the night, so Liz had already offered to give her a lift to the nearest tube station in the morning. 

 

“Anyone with an interest in the Occult. Greatorex was an infamous witch, the book was his  _ grimoire _ .” Liz revelled in trivia like that, the unexplained was certainly something she enjoyed trying to unravel. And often, she found that it wasn’t all that dissimilar to her days as a scientist. 

“His what?” Patsy heard Liz’s footsteps on the lino flooring and looked up as she saw her come through the kitchen door. 

“His grimoire. Book of spells. It’s meant to possess tremendous powers.” Patsy had lifted herself off the arm of the sofa and sat herself down properly against it to recieve her coffee from Liz. Well, as properly as Patsy was ever going to sit on a piece of furniture, it was one of the endearingly unique things that Liz liked about her. The younger woman sat cross-legged with her left forearm on her knee facing Liz, whilst in her other hand she held her coffee mug. Who knew that she could contort those impossibly long legs quite so much? 

 

“So what’s next?” Liz looked cautiously at her friend knowing that she wasn’t going to like her next piece of news.

 

“Gavin Alan Purcell, I’ve made an appointment to see him early tomorrow morning.” Patsy grumbled under her breath. “He is Christian’s next of kin!” The man had a right to know that his nephew’s body had been found after all these months. 

 

“I know but… oh Liz, do be careful! I don’t trust him, not one bit.” Liz took a sip of her coffee and and looked the younger woman in the eye.

 

“It’s just an interview Patsy and he is in police custody.” She reached out and squeezed the arm resting on her friend’s knee. “I’ll be fine. Anyway, how was your evening?” Liz let her hand linger a while longer before she gave Patsy’s arm another reassuring squeeze and took it back to wrap around her coffee cup. 

 

“It was good thanks, all things considered I think Sally had good day.” Sally was in her early sixties and had recently split from her partner of twenty five years. So her friends had rallied round to make sure she hadn’t been sat alone moping on her birthday. 

 

“Any hot gossip?” Liz wasn’t generally one for gossip but she’d known Patsy long enough now to know that there was always something interesting to report from this particular group of friends. Patsy chuckled knowing exactly what Liz had been thinking. 

 

“There is actually…” 

 

“Ooh...” Liz let out a dramatic squeak of interest and Patsy swatted Liz’s knee playfully as she knew that she was just joshing with her. 

 

“Beth and Caroline have decided to live together.” It had come as no surprise to the group of friends, the couple had been together for more than five years and seemed very happy together. 

 

“Oh, that is good news! Who’s moving out or in?” Liz had met Patsy’s group of friends on several occasions, not all of them at each one but she’d been able to put faces to names at least. She had got along especially well with Beth who was a science teacher at a secondary school in Central London. 

 

“Caroline’s moving in with Beth and selling her place first, they think it’ll be the more difficult of the two to sell because of the location. They’ll use the money from that as part deposit for a new place and try to sell Beth’s at the same time.” Both were middle-aged women who had owned their own homes for quite some time so they would be able to buy a pretty decent house together. 

 

“Sounds like a sensible plan. Are they staying local?”

 

“No, they’re looking at Brighton. Expensive but it’s the culture and lifestyle, not to mention the community, that they’re going for.” Patsy sounded a little sad to see two of her friends leave London. Liz put her almost empty mug down on the coffee table and opened her arms out to Patsy. “Come here.” Patsy did the same with her own cup and scooted over to Liz’s side of the sofa. She curled herself into Liz’s lap with her head on her chest and Liz wrapped her arms around her in reassurance. 

 

“Sounds like a great reason for you to have an occasional weekend away in the future. Get out of the city for a couple of days, it’d probably do you the world of good.” Patsy was rarely away from work, especially since she’d taken over from Rutherford. Liz wondered about trying to persuade Patsy at some point that they could take a little holiday together, even if only a few days in the country. For now she pressed a kiss to Patsy’s temple and felt the younger woman curl up tighter in response. 

 

“Yeah, maybe.” Sometimes she felt things were changing around her whilst she stayed still, stuck in a bit of a rut and not really sure what to do to move forward. Patsy paused for a moment and then stopped herself from going down that road. “Oh Suzy said to say hi, I think she missed you tonight.” Patsy lifted her head from its very comfortable place against Liz’s chest and winked at the other woman, chuckling at the implied meaning behind her words. 

 

“Does she know that she’d have to share me?” As soon as Liz had said it, she regretted it. They still hadn’t had a proper conversation about their own relationship; the boundaries, the future, their feelings, but it was accepted that whatever was happening between them was to remain absolutely secret, even from themselves it seemed. “Sorry, I…” Liz winced as she felt Patsy move and twist a little out of their embrace. She stretched her neck up and captured Liz’s lips in a searing kiss. Suddenly hands and lips were everywhere at once, the physical passion between them saying what words couldn’t just yet. Both women knew that it would come in time, soon maybe, but not tonight. 

 

***

 

Their lunch appointment a couple of days later had been tainted by the release of Gavin Purcell after he had won his appeal. Liz was disappointed as she’d had something she wanted to propose to Patsy and St James’s Park in the warm sunshine would have been just the right sort of environment in which to do it. So far their  _ arrangement _ had been conducted behind closed doors, which was perfectly fine as Liz wasn’t in the market of exhibitionism. However, Liz had wanted to see if Patsy was amenable to a little courtship, a date if you will, perhaps a meal at a restaurant, an afternoon at the pictures or a visit to a museum. She thought that maybe if she introduced the idea casually she wouldn’t scare her off. Of course she was very  _ satisfied _ with how things currently stood between them but she was fooling herself if she didn’t acknowledge that she wanted the emotional and romantic side of it too. The tumult of thoughts sent Liz to the place she always went to when she needed to escape, her father’s graveside. 

 

“Oh Dad…” Liz kneeled in front of her father’s grave and placed the fresh flowers by the headstone.

 

“What’s up Poppet?” The semi-transparent image of Reuben Shaw appeared behind her, just within her line of sight over her shoulder. She hadn’t felt frightened or surprised by the apparition, just comforted by the fact that he looked fit and well, just how he had done so before he had died. She kept his image in the corner of her eye but continued talking to his gravestone, she’d been around the supernatural long enough to understand a little of how these things worked. 

 

“What if I’ve got this all wrong and she doesn’t feel the same way?” As much as the Winterbourne case was on her mind, her emotions had become something of a torrent and with Patsy being at the core of it all, she’d been unable to talk to anyone about it. 

 

“Patricia?” Of course he’d known who she was talking about, people had probably been gossiping about them long before there had been anything to gossip about. 

 

“Mmm hmm.”

 

“I can only tell you what you already know as I’m inside your head, but she clearly cares for you. And she goes out of her way, puts her career on the line for PROBE and some of the things you ask of her.” That was certainly true because even though there were often times Patsy had to push back and say no to Liz, it was never through lack of trying. 

 

“But what if that’s not enough?”

 

“Then you ask her and find out for certain. If it’s a no, you move on.” It hurt to hear it but Liz knew that he was right. Best to cut her losses before she got in any deeper, not that she wasn’t already in deep enough.  

 

“I don’t want to move on, I think I lo…” Liz changed her mind, unwilling to say it out loud and make it real. 

 

“If you can’t say it to me, to yourself Elizabeth then perhaps you’re not ready?” Liz shook her head, she  _ was _ ready but just hoped against hope that Patsy was too. 

 

“Dad… how do you feel about…?” The image Liz had held in the corner of her eye suddenly disappeared and she turned around to double check, even though she knew he’d be long gone. She had no idea what had just happened but she chuckled when she realised that it had hardly been the strangest thing she’d seen in her life. 

 

And it was about to get a whole lot stranger as the necklace Andrew had given her, Luke’s necklace, burned and tightened around her neck. It almost strangled her until she had been able to break it free. Liz had a deep connection to this case, whether it was all tied up in her father’s death or that she just happened to be open to the supernatural nature of it, she wasn’t sure but she needed to close it down soon so she could get her life back. 

 

***

 

The creaky wooden floors in the hallowed Whitehall corridors announced Patsy’s presence in the vast and echoey room. Not a room as such, more like a ‘nook’ at the top of a large expanse that doubled as a landing between levels. 

 

“Ah, there you are. How goes it?” Patsy came to a stop in front of where Liz was sat, curled up in an armchair with her work spread about her person. 

 

“Slowly.” Liz took off her reading glasses and gestured to Patsy with her arm to take the armchair beside her. “Patsy?”

 

“Mmm hmm?” The younger woman answered as she sat herself down. She didn’t have much time to spare but she’d wanted to catch up with Liz before she left Whitehall for Winterbourne again. 

 

“Thanks.”

 

“What for putting Purcell in your custody? Don’t thank me too soon, if anything goes wrong…” 

 

“That’s what I meant. Thanks for sticking your neck out.” Liz put her pipe to her mouth, flicked  her lighter to ignite it and started to light the tobacco inside. Patsy studied the other woman thoughtfully as she observed the familiar sequence. 

 

“Something’s worrying you isn’t it?” She had known Liz long enough to know that her pipe was one of her ‘tells,’ an emotional crutch, something to fiddle with when she was thinking, worried or stressed.  

 

“Mmm,” she nodded. “We’ve got the book and with Purcell’s knowledge of the rituals we might be able to make Greatorex manifest himself. Like drinking saltwater to make yourself sick.”

  
“But…?”

 

“I hate to admit it but... I’m scared.” There was so much that could go wrong, Greatorex was a truly powerful witch and capable of anything if they successfully managed to bring him back. 

 

“You don’t have to do this Liz, let Purcell and Wyndham go ahead without you.” It would certainly make Patsy feel more at ease if nothing else. 

 

“I’ve not invested all this time and effort just to back out now Patsy. I want to see it through to the end.” Besides, knowing that she was so intrinsically connected to it, Liz had to be there to see it draw to a conclusion, whichever way it went. 

 

“I’ll have officers on standby and more support than you can shake a fist at.”

 

“Thanks.” They sat in silence for a moment and Liz looked over at her friend and caught her eye. “Pats? There’s something I want to talk to you about...”

 

“I’m listening.” Liz shook her head.

 

“Not now, later. At home.” Liz had said it in such a way that Patsy knew it was personal and not work related. 

 

“Sounds serious?” Liz shrugged noncommittally, it was and it wasn’t she supposed. It all rather depended on how invested they each were in their relationship/friendship. “Tonight? After you’re done with Greatorex’s ghost?” Liz nodded and Patsy stood up from her chair intending to leave. Her concern for Liz and what she was about to do caught up with her then but she wasn’t able to show how she really felt in the open plan room in the middle of Whitehall. “Liz…?” The older woman looked up at her friend and smiled weakly. “Go carefully,  _ please _ ?” Liz acknowledged Patsy’s plea with a small nod before the younger woman left her to it. 


	4. Ghosts of Winterbourne (II)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events of Ghosts of Winterbourne

It was late in evening after the conclusion of the Winterbourne case, hopefully for good this time. Liz, Purcell and Wyndham had successfully managed to use the incantations in Greatorex’s grimoire to make the man himself appear using Christian’s ghost as a vessel. He’d then taken over Purcell’s body as host, leaving Wyndham to finish the incantation and Liz to take care of Andrew. Eventually Purcell was killed and dear Andrew set free from being haunted by both Greatorex and Christian. Liz felt for the young man and made a note to keep an eye on him from afar. 

 

The dirty dishes from their modest dinner sat out of their way on the kitchen worktop ready for the morning, an empty wine bottle stood beside others next to the box for recycling and the lingering smell of spent tobacco permeated the air. Seated in their usual places on the sofa, Patsy sat cross-legged with Liz’s trouser-clad legs and bare feet curled slightly in her lap. There was a comfortable pause in the conversation after a long, heavy evening having dissected the case and discussed its repercussions. Liz grabbed the second bottle of wine from the coffee table by her side and divided the last of its contents between them. 

 

But there had been a strange air of tension surrounding their evening which has somewhat overshadowed it. Ever since Liz had mentioned to Patsy that she wanted to talk to her about something, the younger woman had been emotionally building herself up to it. The obvious assumption she had made was that Liz wanted to break things off between them, for which Patsy wouldn’t blame her. Despite how easily they had seemed to slip from friends to lovers, not only had it all been rather clandestine, they’d avoided talking about their feelings and if there was any sort of future beyond what they currently had. Patsy knew that Liz deserved more than that, had known that this would have come up at some point, it was just that she hadn’t been prepared for it now and she wasn’t sure she was at all ready for the fallout. 

 

Liz’s nerves had meant that she’d been preoccupied and quieter than usual. She had already made up her mind that, one way or the other, she had to know where she stood with Patsy tonight but she was scared that their friendship would be unsalvageable. The silence lingered and weighed heavily between them and Liz knew that she had to say something now, before she backed out altogether. She tried to calm herself down by taking several deep breaths but her body thrummed with nervous energy which threatened to overwhelm her. Liz glanced over at her friend and, not for the first time, was struck by just how much Patsy had come to mean to her. 

 

“Pats…?” Liz felt a lead weight in her chest, her heart began to race and she fought to keep her legs motionless in Patsy’s lap. 

 

“Mmm…” The younger woman seemed relaxed, with the side of her head leaning against the back of the sofa and her eyes half closed, Liz felt guilty for having to spoil the mood.   

 

“We need to talk about what’s going on between us.” Patsy recognised the serious tone of Liz’s voice that she had heard earlier in the day and she immediately ceased the absent-minded stroking of the other woman’s calves from beneath the light fabric of her trousers and removed her hands. Liz then took her legs out of Patsy’s lap and folded them up on the sofa in front of her, mirroring Patsy’s position. Liz made sure that their knees just about touched and maintained at least some sort of bodily contact between them, no matter how small. But she had allowed enough personal space away from each other at the same time so they could take their time and speakly openly. 

 

“Okay.” Patsy looked at Liz with false bravado and hoped she hadn’t heard the emotional shudder in her voice, she then braced herself for the news she had been dreading. 

 

“We’ve been dancing around  _ this _ ,” she gestured between them with a wave of her hand, “for months…” Liz had to pause for breath as she fought through her own emotions, she had to tell Patsy the truth, lay all her cards out on the table tonight. “.... _ years _ if I’m honest with myself.” The quiet admission almost went unnoticed amongst the long pause that followed. 

 

Liz’s words were said in frustration rather than anger, with the both of them not having been brave enough to directly address their relationship. Instead they had opted to leave it unspoken, to save one or both of them getting hurt. The irony was that they had probably been hurting each other more by having to tread on eggshells every time one of them had come close to saying how they felt out loud. Patsy looked away from Liz as she could feel the onslaught of emotion rise to the surface and she instead focused on an invisible spot on the carpet. Liz used the last of her courage to actually say what she had been wanting to. 

 

“It’s not enough for me Patsy. I want all of you, not just friendship and sex. I want your good days and your bad days, the romance  _ and _ the mundane. I want us to be a proper couple who share things and feelings, not just a bed for the night.” Liz felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, she didn’t yet have an answer but at least she had been brave and told Patsy how she felt. Patsy looked up at Liz sharply and several tears leaked unbidden from her eyes. She spluttered out a half laugh, half sob. 

 

“Really?” The younger woman asked in amazement, Liz nodded and then noticed her tears.  

 

“What’s wrong?” Liz reached out and wiped away the tear tracks from Patsy’s cheek with her thumb. Patsy caught her hand and pressed a kiss into its palm. 

 

“I thought…. I thought you were going to break things off.” Liz smiled at her lover sadly and ran her fingers gently through the length of hair that fell across Patsy’s forehead. 

 

“Oh you daft sod!” She pressed a kiss to the younger woman’s forehead and then a gentle one to her lips. “I  _ love _ you Patsy. I’ve been  _ in love _ with you for some time.” Patsy nodded and gave the older woman a watery smile. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against Liz’s.  

 

“Me too, Liz. I just didn't think you'd feel the same.” Patsy spoke quietly, still amazed by Liz’s admission. 

 

“What a pair eh?” Liz joked and tried to lighten the atmosphere a little. 

 

“Well matched I would say.” Patsy leaned in for another kiss and was met halfway by Liz. It was passionate but less demanding now that they could really take their time with each other and properly make love. The sofa bore the brunt of their kisses in their initial elation at having finally confessed how they felt about each other, before Liz decided that they really ought to retire to the bedroom and continue the  _ conversation _ in a more comfortable setting. 

 

***

 

Liz adjusted the strap of the bag that hung over her shoulder. She was going to have to put in a case for one of those new, smaller mobile phones that her niece had shown her when she’d last visited. Her sister had taken to calling her work phone a ‘house brick’ and it had seemed rather fitting. Combined with her notebook, pen, wallet and other essentials her handbag was getting increasingly heavier and wasn’t conducive to running for her life when she needed to. Liz perused the menu written on boards above the counter, the days when meeting for a coffee was a simple event were beginning to feel far behind her. Black with two sugars would suit her perfectly but there appeared to be everything but on offer. She was still deep in contemplation when she was greeted by a bright voice and a gentle hand at her elbow. 

 

“Hello stranger!” The younger woman looked positively radiant and her genuine fondness for Liz shone through her bright warm smile.

 

“Lou! How wonderful to see you.” They enjoyed a firm hug and then turned back to the board. “I still think I need to go a long way to beat your coffee back at the office.” Lou blushed, she had been a lot more to PROBE than simply the office skivvy but their working relationship had been a lot more like a friendship so making Liz, and sometimes Haggard, the odd coffee now and then hadn’t been a chore. 

 

“I don’t know about that.” Lou chuckled bashfully. “It is lovely to see you too though. Go on sit down and find us a table. I’ll get these, I’m assuming you still take your coffee the same way?” Liz smiled and nodded as she reached out to pat Lou’s arm in gratitude. 

 

“Thank you, that’s very kind. I’ll get the next round, I’m sure we have lots of catch up on. How much time can you spare?” Things were quiet at PROBE at the moment, not that it would remain that way for long, but it had been the reason she had contacted Lou earlier this week to arrange the catch up. 

 

“As long as you like. I’ve taken a half day as I have some chores to do this afternoon.” 

 

“Great.” Liz found a little booth like table out of the way so they could speak a little about work without being overheard. She hadn’t realised quite how much she’d missed working with Lou until she’d seen her. Liz loved her job but she often worked in isolation, of course she could also chat to Patsy about PROBE cases but she had other things besides the bureau on her plate these days. Besides, it wasn’t the same as bouncing theories and ideas off of someone as a case developed. Liz had picked up DI Burke and Colonel Ackroyd, amongst others on the odd, individual case but as the Ministry budget was still unreasonably tight, neither of those had become a regular, more permanent colleague. 

 

Lou brought a tray over to the table with their coffees and an indulgent couple of biscuits on it. She set it all out and returned the tray to the counter. Finally she sat down and took a very welcome sip of her cappuccino. 

 

“So, how’s the job?” Liz had been keen to find out how Lou was getting on, she was a bright girl and in the right job she had a decent career in front of her. 

 

“Actually, it’s alright. I don’t want you to think this is any criticism of you or PROBE but it is nice to be part of a bigger team. We’re properly resourced and work together well, the work’s not as interesting mind you.” Liz chuckled, the sort of cases PROBE dealt with were amongst the most unusual things she’d seen in her life, besides her time at UNIT with the Brigadier and the Doctor that was. 

 

“No, I don’t suppose it is. But I do understand what you mean and I’m very happy for you. I do miss you though!” Liz reached out and patted the younger woman’s forearm to emphasise her feelings. 

 

“Aww, I miss you too. So how’s life at PROBE? I hear Haggard was promoted to Minister after Rutherford left. What happened to him anyway, he’d only been there five minutes?” And almost immediately within those five minutes Lou had been transferred, so she had been intrigued to find out that he’d gone.  

 

“Ah well, yes that’s a bit of a long story.” Liz proceeded to recall the Beagle creature case and the connections between Rutherford and the original project. Lou had been both horrified and fascinated by the tale, as they so often were when the clear truth of a case had come to light. 

 

“How’s Haggard doing in the Minister’s chair?” Lou teased, having long ago understood that Liz and Haggard were firm friends despite the bickering between them when it came to PROBE matters. 

 

“She’s doing her best, it’s not easy being pulled in several different directions and still trying to be fair to everyone. At least she tries to do it with more grace and tact than her predecessors.” Liz had spoken with more seriousness than Lou had expected and wondered just how difficult it was becoming to keep the bureau going in the current Whitehall climate. 

 

“I’m glad she’s fighting for PROBE, it’s about time you had someone in charge who’s on your side. I don’t suppose you see each other much these days if she’s that busy and you’re on your own?” 

 

“Umm… well… There’s been a development in that sort of area...” Liz became shy and embarrassed and Lou grinned broadly when it clicked into place. “What…?” Liz looked at her old colleague with a puzzled expression on her face. 

 

“Please tell me it’s what I think it is?” Liz had never seen Lou quite so giddy and wondered just how obvious her feelings for Patsy had been.

 

“How on earth could you have possibly known before I did?” Lou left the bureau long before she and Patsy had even begun sleeping with each, other so there had been nothing for Lou to have picked up on. 

 

“Oh come on! Every time you were in a room together there were sparks between you, it was only a matter of time. Are you really together? As in a relationship?” Liz nodded with a shy smile, she hadn’t known how the younger woman was going to take the news but she’d wanted to tell her in person anyway. “I’m so pleased for you both. Are you happy?”

 

“It’s early days yet but yes, we are. Thank you, I appreciate the support.” Liz paused and took a sip of her sweetened coffee. You know, I always sort of thought Patsy fancied you a bit.” Lou laughed out loud at Liz’s almost jealous confession. 

 

“I mean no offence to Haggard or yourself but my bread’s never been buttered on that side. In fact…” She took Liz’s hand and placed it over her belly where she felt a fairly prominent bump and eventually some movement. The older woman look up at her wide-eyed and a big smile split her face. 

 

“Oh Lou! That’s wonderful news, I’m really happy for you.” They hugged and spent the rest of the afternoon gossiping and properly catching each other up on all their news. And later, when Lou had given birth to a very healthy and bonny baby girl, she had just the right sort of godparents in mind. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming Soon: “Progeny XX” a case-based fic set a couple of years after Ghosts of Winterbourne. When the disappearance of several women blurs the lines between PROBE and their personal lives, how do Liz and Patsy navigate both the case and their relationship? More importantly, will they both come through it alive?


End file.
